Tottenham Hotspur are beginning to sparkle in the Premier League following defeat of Bolton Wanderers

Two classic wingers, an industrious ball-winner and an archetypal midfield
magician. It is throwback time at Tottenham where Aaron Lennon, Gareth Bale,
Scott Parker and Luka Modric mix sparkle with graft as the team ascend to
new heights.

Key component: Scott Parker, in action against Bolton, has been intrumental in Spurs' successPhoto: ACTION IMAGES

By Ben Findon

11:00PM GMT 04 Dec 2011

A 3-0 victory over Bolton lifted Tottenham, briefly, into second place at tea-time on Saturday.

The struggling visitors, who had defender Gary Cahill harshly sent off in the 17th minute, provided meek opposition but the Londoners still won with irresistible verve.

White Hart Lane is one of the more traditional settings for English football while Harry Redknapp is a manager inculcated with the classic elements of the domestic game.

With two Englishmen and a Welshman in their dynamic quartet there is a warming home-grown look, imbued with very British virtues, at the heart of Tottenham’s progress this season.

“We’re dangerous when we play that way. I like the width that we get and when they come in off the line and play in those little pockets we’ve got two full-backs who like to get forward,” Redknapp suggested.

Bale’s low strike from Modric’s short corner gave Tottenham a seventh-minute lead and heralded a match-long bombardment of the Bolton goal.

Only an outstanding display from goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainin prevented Tottenham from at least doubling their winning margin.

It was a poignant moment for Bale, who had his own public tribute to Gary Speed.

The Wales international removed his left boot which bore the message ‘RIP Gary Speed’ stitched into the lining, and held it aloft to the Paxton Road end.

Tottenham’s second goal, five minutes into the second half, came from the opposite flank, Lennon crowning a fluent move by cutting inside to fire past Jaaskelainen.

Modric and Bale combined again for Tottenham’s third goal, on the hour mark.

This time Bale flicked on the Croatian’s corner and Jermain Defoe stabbed in his sixth league goal of the season.

It was all anchored by another storming display from Parker, leaving Redknapp to reflect on Tottenham’s good fortune in the summer transfer market.

He said: “I’m surprised no one else signed Scott in the summer. We ummed and ahhed. It took three or four months to get him. How someone else didn’t come in and nick him I don’t know.”

Parker, a £5 million acquisition from West Ham, was involved in the afternoon’s main talking point, after being tripped by Cahill some 40 yards from goal.

Referee Stuart Attwell deemed the England defender to have denied Tottenham a clear goalscoring opportunity and to Bolton’s disgust, and general amazement, waved a red card.

Parker, who has yet to lose a league game in a Spurs shirt, said: “I went down and didn’t even know where the ball was. It is probably a bit hard but obviously the referee sees it as a goalscoring opportunity.”

Zat Knight, Cahill’s defensive partner, was unequivocal. “I thought he was just going to give him a yellow card.

"I had a word with the referee at half time but he said he could not look at the video until after the game so hopefully he will be looking back at it and kicking himself.”

Bolton are now one off the foot of the table but manager Owen Coyle has support from the dressing room.

Knight said: “The manager has been as good as gold to every player. We couldn’t ask for a better manager.”